were situated the
handsomest houses in the town. There was a large, square brick house on
the corner, with stables in the rear, a conservatory on one side, and a
beautiful lawn in front, and this place seemed to possess some strange
fascination for Amos, for he stopped suddenly at the gate and stood
there for fully five minutes, admiring, perhaps, the mansion's air of
solid comfort and wealth.

The iron gate was open, and presently, as if impelled by some impulse he
could not resist, he entered, and walking softly up the graveled path,
looked in at one of the long windows.

The room upon which he gazed was very handsomely furnished. The chairs
were luxuriously cushioned, a large mirror hung over the mantel, the
carpet was of velvet, a crystal chandelier depended from the ceiling,
and a bright fire burned in the open grate, before which sat a lady
richly dressed, reading aloud to three children, sitting on ottomans at
her feet.

For a long, long time Amos Derby stood by the window, his eyes wandering
from one article of luxury to another, a dark frown on his face, and his
teeth set hard together.

"My money," he muttered, when at last he turned away. "I've given it to
him, cent by cent, and dollar by dollar, and I've naught to show for it,
while he! he's got his fine house, and his rich carpets, and his
handsome clothes. It's the same money, only I've spent it in one way,
and he in another."

As the last words left his lips a hand fell heavily upon his shoulder,
and a voice--the voice of Sillbrook--asked him harshly what he wanted.

"A look into your fine parlor," answered Amos roughly. "Strange I wanted
to see it, wasn't it? It ought not to matter to me, of course, what use
you make o' my money."

"Your money!" said Sillbrook, with a loud laugh. "That's a crazy joke!
Come, my man, you're drunk. Get out of here, or I'll have you put where
you can make your jokes to yourself."

"You think you're rich enough now to speak to me as you choose," said
Amos hotly. "Time was when you wouldn't have dared. But I tell you,
Jason Sillbrook, I've come to my senses to-night. It's a poor bargain
where the gain's all on one side. We started even, and you've got all
and I nothin'. But I tell you now, that, heaven helpin' me, you'll never
have another dollar o' mine to spend. You'll never buy another coat like
this out o' my money," and he struck in sudden passion the seal-trimmed
garment which covered Sillbrook's ample proport